Lisa Rizzo
Lisa Rizzo is a professional freelance journalist for hire. Educated at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in California, she has a Bachelors of Science degree in journalism and is a member of The Society of Professional Journalists.
Rizzo is the former evening news producer of NBC affiliated television station KSBY-TV 6. She entered the field of journalism 15 years ago and has since acquired experience in nearly all forms of media.
Currently, as a regular freelance reporter for CalCoastNews, an independent investigative online newspaper, Rizzo has covered a variety of topics that have unveiled environmental crisis, financial fraud in the military, and corruption in government.
Lisa Rizzo offers a variety of writing and producing services for individuals and business:
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Troubled Santa Lucia Bank makes buyout deal
San Luis Obispo headquartered Mission Community Bancorp announced today that it plans to acquire Santa Lucia Bank, a deal that if approved soon could save the struggling Atascadero based bank from further regulatory action. Backed by a private equity firm, the Carpenter Fund Manager, Mission says it expects to finalize the transaction through a merger agreement that will they hope will... (Continue Reading)
Illegal appointment will cost Oceano
The Oceano Community Services District will likely be slapped with nearly $75,000 in fees after losing a civil lawsuit that found the board illegally appointed one of its directors. In his tentative ruling released Tuesday San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Charles Crandall awarded former Oceano board director, Pamela Dean, $74,441 in attorney’s fees after she obtained a ruling March... (Continue Reading)
Oceano selects new manager
The Oceano Community Services District board has appointed a new interim general manager by a unanimous vote on Wednesday. Thomas Geaslen, president of Titan Lending Corp. in Nipomo, replaces ousted General Manager Raffaele Montemurro. Geaslen says he is coming on board with more than 30 years of business management experience. In his application which included a detailed action plan, Geaslen proposed a... (Continue Reading)
Cayucos woman tells story of home intrusion
More information has surfaced about what happened at a Cayucos home Monday night after a stranger entered a family’s home. Hilda Villalobos told CalCoastNews that Robert Auston Romero trespassed onto her property sometime after 2:30 a.m., entered her home, and went upstairs where her two children were sleeping. Villalobos, who was writing at her downstairs desk and startled by the sounds of... (Continue Reading)
Morro Bay man awakes in wrong home
A Cayucos couple was startled Monday morning to the find someone sleeping in their home, and he was no Goldilocks. The man of the house held the apparent trespasser, Robert Auston Romero, at bay while his wife wielding a knife called 911, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department. Coastal deputies concluded that 32-year-old Romero, in a drunken stupor, entered... (Continue Reading)
Pending home sales up
Pending home sales in California rose in May, marking the first year-over-year increase in a year and a half, according to the California Association of Realtors (CAR). The association’s pending home sales index was 118.3 in May, up 1.6 percent from April and up 12 percent from the year prior. CAR says May saw the largest year-over-year increase since August 2009. A... (Continue Reading)
SLO’s $74 million portfolio draws leery eyes
A group of local property owners are aggravated to learn San Luis Obispo is sitting on more than $74 million in cash and investments but despite that will soon be asking them to pay more for water, sewer and parking to help fix a $4.4 million budget shortfall in its general fund. “To me it means they have been kind of... (Continue Reading)
Questionable Grover Beach plan using redevelopment funds derailed
By LISA RIZZO Two Grover Beach councilwomen voted down a controversial plan Monday to sell a public garden to the town’s redevelopment agency in a move that had been set to help ease the city’s budget woes. The city needed a super majority — four out of five votes — to approve a resolution to […]... (Continue Reading)
Grover Beach’s use of redevelopment funds scrutinized
Critics of a proposed sale of a community garden allege Grover Beach city leaders have been using state redevelopment funds to bail out the city during revenue shortfalls by funneling money from its Improvement Agency into its general fund. And the city is preparing to do it again. “The redevelopment agency is clearly getting screwed," said San Luis Obispo Attorney Babak... (Continue Reading)
Arroyo Grande water recycling plant under construction
After years seeking approval, construction is now underway on a cutting edge water recycling plant—unique in the world—at the Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP) oil field in Arroyo Grande which will increase its oil production which is currently averaging a million barrels per day. PXP recently broke ground for the Produced Water Reclamation Facility at its oil field off Price... (Continue Reading)
